Block caving relies on fragmentation and forces of gravity to ‘cave’ an underground orebody to draw points, from where it is collected and taken away for processing.
Monitoring the flow of the caved ore was only possible once markers, embedded in the orebody, exited at the draw points at the bottom. This method is limited as the exact path of the ore cannot be tracked as it moves around inside the cave. Being able to model the best route for the ore to flow and modifying the draw strategy in real-time would substantially reduce waste and avoid significant loss of value.
Several monitoring methods have been developed which attempt to provide greater insight into the cave’s extent. These include time domain reflectometer, extensometers and seismic systems.
Each of these monitoring tools has limitations and, in isolation, is unable to provide the broad ranging data required to have a comprehensive 3D view of the extent of the cave.
